1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus including a synthesizing means for synthesizing image information in the form of digital signals and template information. The invention relates also to an image processing method for converting template information for forming a frame-like image, according to a predetermined rule, an image processing program and also to a recording medium storing the image processing program.
2. Description of the Related Art
An example of the image processing apparatus of the above-noted type is known from a Japanese Patent Application “Kokai” No. 2000-244724 (Prior Art 1). The contents of this publication will be described next.
This apparatus includes a display unit having a touch panel on a surface of an upper portion of the front face of the apparatus and a digital camera disposed inside a display screen provided at an upper portion of the display unit for photographing a user standing in front of the apparatus. On the front face of the display unit, there are provided a slot for an FD drive, a PC card slot, a memory card slot, etc The apparatus further includes a flat bed scanner disposed downwardly of the display unit, a coin slot disposed further downwards and a print discharge outlet formed at a lower portion of the front face of the apparatus.
According to this Prior Art 1, after template information is selected with a touch operation on the touch panel, a synthesizing operation is effected wherein image data obtained by the FD drive, the flat bed scanner or the digital camera is aligned with a synthesizing area of the template information to be superposed on the template information.
Another example of the image processing apparatus of the above-noted type is known from a Japanese Patent Application “Kokai” No. 2001-297238 (Prior Art 2). The contents of this publication will be described next.
This apparatus includes an order receiving unit in the form of a rectangular plate having a touch panel type liquid crystal display screen on the top face thereof and having also two openings for receiving removable media. Within this order receiving unit, there are provided a reading unit for reading image data of the removable media, a reading/writing unit for writing the image data and print order information in the removable media, a CPU for executing a program, an interface for outputting printing data to a printer, and a communication terminal for transmitting the order information to an image forming unit. The image forming unit includes a CRT disposed at an upper portion of the unit body, a film scanner unit, a reflection type document inputting unit and a control unit, so that the image data may be printed on a photosensitive material.
When a synthesizing operation is to be effected, a removable medium storing image data and a further removable medium storing template information are set to the order receiving unit, whereby a plurality of images as the image data and a plurality of template images as the template information are displayed are displayed in the form of an index on the liquid crystal display screen. Then, upon selection of a desired image data and a desired template image data based on the above display, the synthesizing operation is made possible for fitting the image data within a frame of the template image data. In this synthesizing operation, position adjustment, rotation, modification and size change of the image data within the template frame are also possible if desired. After this synthesizing operation, the synthesized image data can be printed by the image forming unit, in case the order receiving unit and the image forming unit are connected via LAN or the like. On the other hand, in case the order receiving unit is not connected to the image forming unit, the synthesized image may be stored once in a removable medium, so that the image data may be printed later when desired by the image forming unit.
In recent years, in the field of digital image processing, there has been increasing popularity in the market for a service for making an ornamental photographic print by superposing an inputted image of e.g. a human subject with a template image as a predetermined fixed image of a frame or a background landscape. An example of such service is making a postcard or a calender from a photograph brought to a service shop by a customer.
Examples of such template image are an image of a frame and a background landscape including an ornamental design or graphic cartoon character or the like therein. Examples of the technique for superposing such template image with the image information are known from the Japanese Patent Application “Kokai” No. 2000-244724 (Prior Art 1, supra), a Japanese Patent Application “Kokai” No. 2001-268338 (Prior Art 3), and a Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-40565 (Prior Art 4).
The Japanese Patent Application “Kokai” No. 2000-244724 (Prior Art 1) has been described above. Next, the contents of the Japanese Patent Application “Kokai” No. 2001-268338 (Prior Art 3) will be described.
An image synthesizing apparatus disclosed by this Prior Art 3 includes a synthesizing data memory for storing various kinds of information of shapes, ornamental patterns, colors and sizes and a photographic image memory for storing photographic image data inputted from a line CCD scanner. The apparatus further includes a synthesized data processing unit for generating a template image by combining the various kinds of information selected by an input unit comprising a keyboard and a mouse and a photographic image processing unit for effecting a well-known image processing on a photographic image selected by the input unit for generating a photographic image. During this processing, a reference template image in the form of a frame is shown on a display screen. This reference template image comprises a combination of peripheral corner images and peripheral side images. In operation, by locating a mouse pointer on each portion of this reference template image and then clicking the mouse, a selection input screen will be “popped out” on the display. Then, when a desired shape image is selected from the plurality of shape images shown in this selection input screen, the corresponding area in the reference template image will be replaced by the selected shape image information and then displayed again on the display screen. With selection of an ornamental pattern information and/or color information by similar procedure to the above, a template image may be made. Then, a synthesized image synthesized from the template image produced as above and the photographic image from the photographic image processing unit is shown on the display screen. After the operator confirms this synthesized image, the image may be printed.
Next, the contents of the Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-40565 (Prior Art 4) will be described.
The apparatus disclosed by this Prior Art 4 includes a processing unit for realizing synthesis of information inputted from a film scanner and an image inputted from a flat bed scanner. When this processing unit effects the synthesizing operation, the unit inputs a graphic illustration, an ornamental pattern or the like e.g. drawn by a customer on an order sheet via the flat bed scanner and inputs also image information of a photographic film via the film scanner. Then, the processing unit effects an image processing in which the unit makes distinction between a synthesizing area of the received image and an ornamental pattern area and superposes the ornamental area on the inputted photographic image, thereby to generate an image showing the inputted photographic image relative to the synthesizing area to be displayed on a monitor screen. If the operator determines this display is appropriate, its printing can be effected.
Now, as far as the synthesizing process of image information and template information is concerned, with either the above-described technique disclosed by Prior Art 1 or the technique disclosed by Prior Art 2, rotation, enlargement and reduction of the image information to be synthesized with the template information are possible. Hence, regardless of the composition of the image information whether it being horizontal or being vertical (image information obtained by the camera with its horizontal or vertical posture), and also regardless of the size of the image information whether it being slightly smaller or larger than that of the template information, the synthesis is still possible by either of the techniques.
One conceivable example of such template information described above allowing its synthesis with either the horizontal posture composition or the vertical posture composition photographic image information is a template image in the form of a frame encompassing the photographic image information. Considering the aesthetic visual balance of the synthesized image, however, it is not enough for the template information to be provided in the form of a frame for encompassing the image information within a fixed width thereof. It is desired that the template image should provide different variable widths for coping with the vertical and horizontal.
In order to meet such demand, it is conceivable to provide two kinds of template information corresponding respectively to the horizontal posture composition and the vertical posture composition. Further, regarding the kinds of the template information to be prepared, image information of a photograph of a happy event and image information of a memorial photograph should be significantly different in the color tones. Then, in order to cope with such variety of possibilities, a great variety of template information should be provided to suit different purposes. Even if the template information is provided in the form of a simple frame-like image, at least two kinds thereof will be needed for the horizontal posture composition and the vertical posture composition. All these requirements can invite disadvantageous enlargement of the capacity of the storage medium such as a hard disc for storing such great variety of template information.
Further, although the operation of rotating the template information in accordance with a particular composition of the photographic image information will be useful for restricting the amount of template information to be stored in the hard disc or the like, if this template information is to include a string of characters such as “birthday party”, “school excursion”, etc, then, e.g. 90 degree rotation of template information adapted for showing the string horizontally would result in inappropriate orientation of the character string. Hence, in this respect too, there remains room for improvement.
Considering the above from a different point of view, if the print size is fixed, it will be sufficient to prepare (store) a template image of a single size. Further, even if the print size is variable, as long as its aspect ratio remains fixed, the aspect ratio of the template image may be fixed as well. However, if the above-described shop service is to provide free selection of the print size or to provide change in the aspect ratio of the image (to e.g. so-called “panoramic size”), it become necessary to prepare all kinds of template images corresponding to the contemplated print sizes and aspect ratios. Obviously, storage of data concerning all possible sizes of template images will require a great memory capacity.
On the other hand, it is also possible to keep the size and aspect ratio of the template to be prepared (stored) constant. In this case, according to a desired print size or aspect ratio, an enlarging/reducing operation will be effected on the template image or the image comprising the template image and the inputted photographic image superposed with each other, thereby to change the size or aspect ratio of the template. In this case, the memory capacity required for storage of the template image data can be reduced.
However, such enlarging or reducing operation on the template information in the form of a frame results in not only the change in the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the template information, but also in the associated change (enlargement or reduction) in the widths of the sides of the template frame, thus resulting in unbalanced template shape. More particularly, as shown in FIG. 28(a), if frame-like template information adapted for providing a frame side width of 1 cm when outputted on e.g. a print paper is enlarged by 1.5 times in the vertical and horizontal directions, as shown in FIG. 28(b), the respective frame-side widths become 1.5 cm. Similarly, if the information is enlarged by 1.5 times in the horizontal direction, as shown in FIG. 28(c), the horizontal dimension of the horizontal frame is enlarged by 1.5 times and at the same time, the frame-side width of the vertical sides of this frame is enlarged by 1.5 times. In this way, the enlargement/reduction operation of the template information leads to disadvantageous change in the original template image as swell as the ornamental effect to be provided thereby. Therefore, in this respect too, there remains room for improvement.